1. Your classmate is conducting research for a research methods class project. They have interviewed every police officer in the local police department about their perceptions of offenders and what they believe is needed to minimize recidivism. They keep referring to the group they interviewed as a sample. You argue it is not a sample but a census. Who is correct and why?
You are correct in stating that your classmate conducted a census, not a sample. A sample refers to a subset of a population selected for research, while a census involves collecting data from every member of the population. Since your classmate interviewed all police officers in the local department, they surveyed the entire population of interest, making it a census. Referring to it as a sample would be inaccurate, as no selection or partial representation occurred. Recognizing this distinction is important for understanding the scope, generalizability, and limitations of the research findings.
Is it a sample or a census?
2. You wish to study parents who routinely use corporal punishment when disciplining their children. Although your research is exploratory in nature and you are open to learning about this approach in general, you specifically hope to gain an understanding as to how they justify this form of punishment, when they use it, and how they maintain trust with their child after this punishment. Given what you have learned in Chapter 6, how might you conduct this research? Would you reveal the purpose of your research to the participants you select? Any type of Hawthorne Effect that would be a concern? Would the respondents have informed consent? Would their participation in the research be fully voluntary? What are the advantages and limitations of the methodology you propose?
To explore this sensitive topic, I would use a qualitative research design with in-depth, semi-structured interviews to understand parents’ perspectives. I would fully disclose the purpose of the research, ensuring informed consent and emphasizing that participation is voluntary and confidential. While the Hawthorne Effect—where participants modify behavior due to being observed—might occur, using interviews about past behavior can reduce its impact. This method allows for rich, detailed data, but responses may be biased by social desirability. Despite this limitation, the approach offers valuable insights into beliefs and practices surrounding corporal punishment and the parent-child relationship. APA